The oppressed slaves of the New World expressed their feelings, misery and faith in music. The African rhythms of their homeland, the pitiful conditions in which they barely survived, the hope they found in their Christian faith: all these elements together became the breeding ground of the Negro Spiritual.

The simple but intense a capella songs that were born in the American cotton fields would later play an important political role by giving voice to the civil rights struggle. This fabulous music has since produced countless great classics, which the Flemish Radio Choir performs with the British gospel specialist Ken Burton.